Delaware gazette and state journal. (Wilmington, Del.) 1883-1902, 1887-05-05

printed and OF which the best he could |
honestly say would be that II might possess
some interest 10 readers personally no.
auainted with those who bad written II.
But he rises from perusl OF this volume
rather agreeably disappointed. Not that
there Ia much OF high merit In II, but thar
there Is 40 little that falls below medioority
90 little that any man or woman Of fair cul.
| ture and Intelligence need feel ashamed OF
| having written. Taking people as they
| come, and bearing in mind that good poets
are somewhat rare, the compilation fs an
| exhibit that does credit to locality limited
/ to the area and population of Cecil county
| and the local yerslhers have cause TO Do
thankful that their productions fell into the
| hands OF an editor who, like Mr.. johnston
| had bean trained In the practical school OF
newspaper work to sift the wheat from the
chat
The list OF versIflers represented Is an
unexpectedly long one, and among the
names the average reader VIII recog..
nIgs some old aoquaintanees, and
many a Wilmingtonian some distant
relative or personal friend. They. are
: as follows: David Scott, Of John I;
, Emma Alice Browne; Nathan ooyington
Brooks; John Marehborn Cooley; George
washington oruikshank; Mrs. Annie Nc
, Carer Darlington; the Rev. William Duke
Edwin Evans Ewing; William Pinkney
Ewing Charles II. Evans Mira. Sarah Hall !
/ | Mrs, Sallle W. Hardcastle; Mrs. Mary k.
a Ireland; George Johnston; William James
Jones; John Henry kimbie; James
Q McCauley; Mrs. Ida Mccormick; Folgel
McKinsey; Mrs. Rosallene R. Murphy
Rachel Il. Patterson; Callander Patterson
, Tobias Ruduph; Zebulon Rudulph; Mrs
4 Alice Coale Shippers; David Scott, OF James
Henry Vanderford. A short biographical
! sketch preeedes the selections from eacf
!. writer. ,,,,,
|; In his preface Mr.. Johnston says: sThi
volume owes Its existence to the desire o
Is some OF the teachers and pupils OF the pub
lie schools In the northeastern part o
Cecil county to do honor to the memory
l. the late school commissioner, David Seot'
" Shortly after Mr.. Scott's death some OF tn
: parties referred to proposed to coilet
?. enough money by voluntary contributor
10 to erect a monument over his grave,
a order to perpetuate his memory and also
VI show the high regard In which he was bel
re BY them. This project being brought to u
4 knowledge of the editor, he ventured 70 O.
= press the opinion that the best monume
no MIR. Scott could have would be the &C
re lection and publication Of his poems
book form. This suggestion met the Apr
O. bation OF the origtnators of the pro1et
of who asked the writer to undertake .
:, work Of collecting the poems and edith
NJ the book. Subsequent investigation show
be that Mr.. Scott had not lett enough poei
IA
~ themselves; and the original plan W
nd changed 80 as to include, so far as 1t "
va | practicable to do so, the writings OF all
native poets of the county and those wi
W though not natives, have resided and WI
ten In IT."
oRs opening So pages have been devoted
the David Scott, of John; a versiaer OF Of
q mediocre ability, one of whose most pie
ing productions, the first one In the Dool
ade characterized by jingle that reminds
Re-. | reader somewhat of Burns. fair specin
OF the best Of MIR. Scjtt's work Is thefo
ps ing:
Another flower has ceased to bloom
w. The fairest are the first to die,
of The best go earliest to the tomb.
tba And rather pretty coAceit is embed
In these four lines:
the She Is not dead her spirit,
-ast Too pure to dwell with clay,
Has gone up to inherit
cad The realms Of endless day.
stle The transition from Mr.. Scott to En-
n. Alice Browne. however, lifts the reader
emu, into higher atmosphere. Take sue
ling specimen as this, worthy the pen
ooa. Bryant;
This eve his grave Is winter white,
ehat And 'twixt the Winds stormy tn
had l hear across the northern hills
~. The solemn footsteps Of the night.
ZEN I'm Measuring the Baby" by this poe
} of hundreds of readers will recognize
gem whose newspaper life OF hatte
duration has left behind 1t an impres
:. train of tender recollection.
hVe Another touch or two must suffice. st
7otes ing out prominent In its robust earnesti
~. breathing OF the spirit of those days
ie'o tried mems souls, is the New Year
leree (ls63) by George W. Crutgshank, the !
rala. known editor OF the Cecil Democrat, ]
=, vein there Is nothing In the book to par
with this As hymn OF selt-renunciation
lrers. verses, by the Rev. William Duke, b.
ming, my heart, the world forsake,
Us 10 admirable. The editor of the work
bust. Johnston, is represented by four or
,,,a4 short pieces, OF which much the best Is
tila' entitled "Here and Hereafter" the SO
want stan2a Of which runs as follows:
,aI;no The worlds great heart beats wild and
With wealth OF Dliss and love untold
II, in While with unbanched eye behold
with Its fading phantoms wane and die.
Without a sigh mark their flight;
: In A stranger to the world unknown,
ich it Amid its maZes all alons
,t.sst. I wander In Egyptian night.